Merry Christmas, Niisama
by Anami-chan
Summary: Rukia was on a mission to find the perfect presents for everyone. She did managed to get all of them by Christmas...except for her brother. What would he like for a present? She just had to find out. AN: R&R please! And Merry Christmas!


**Disclaimer:** I do not own BLEACH or it would never the same again…

**A/N:** Just something that I write for Christmas. Please read and you can review if you want to…

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_**Title:** Merry Christmas, Nii-sama_

"Christmas?" Rukia asked the energetic Orihime.

"Hai hai!" Orihime answered happily, "Christmas! Don't you know about this?"

"I don't… I have never celebrated Christmas before. What is it?"

"It is a celebration on every December 25th and usually people exchange presents with each other during this time," Tatsuki explained.

"And if you want, I can book a suite on Christmas Eve, just for you and me," Chizuru interrupted and held Rukia's chin, "What do you say? Deal?"

"Get lose to a freezing hell already!" Tatsuki kicked her away from them, "Why don't you wish you'll die on Christmas Eve and are reborn as a man?!"

"Tatsuki, I like tough lady- Ooof!" again, Chizuru was kicked away when she tried to cling onto Tatsuki. Rukia then looked towards the ensuing arguments between Chizuru and Tatsuki and then looked out of the window, "Christmas presents, ne?"

* * *

"Okay, I'm ready!" Rukia exclaimed energetically with a long list in her right hand right in front of the mall's entrance. She spent all her time last night to list everyone she knew and then decided what present was perfect for each of them. Now, she was on a big mission; buy all the presents, wrappers and ribbons.

She walked into the mall with confidence and about three hours later, she sat wearily in a café with five plastic bags on an empty chair beside her. She looked through her list again, "So, only Ichigo's, Renji's, Inoue-san's and Nii-sama's presents are left," and then she sighed, "Unfortunately, I don't have even the slightest idea what Nii-sama would like as his Christmas present… Why are you so secretive, Nii-sama?" Rukia whined and rested her head onto the table.

Rukia sipped her mocha shake and slapped her face lightly, "Don't give up! He's your brother and surely you'll find something that he likes!" she said to herself and slowly regained her confidence, "No one know him better than me! I can do this! Oh yes I can!"

she quickly finished drinking her shake and then grabbed all the packed plastic bags. She walked briskly towards the stores with new confidence.

Alas for Rukia, her confidence was wasted as she found herself crying a river while wrapping all the presents later that night; she just couldn't find the perfect present for her foster brother. She whined, "Nii-sama… Tell me what you would like as a present… Nii-sama… Nii-sama…"

She kept on like that even when she went to sleep and it scared the hell out of both Ichigo and Kon as they shivered every time Rukia sobbed her brother's name.

* * *

It was Christmas and Rukia had given out all the presents to everyone. And she was constantly avoiding Byakuya every time she heard his footsteps or his voice. She still couldn't figure out what kind of present Byakuya would like…

Rukia sighed, "Wouldn't it be great if I know mind-reading… Nii-sama, you're such a troublesome man… How Hisana-neesama did fall for you remains a huge mystery for me… What did she see in you anyway? I can only see the word S-E-C-R-E-T allover you…," and then, a small bead of snow fell from a branch of the sakura trees in the yard onto her nose tip, "Whoa! I nearly thought it was a sakura petal… Nearly look like one anyway… So white and pure… I bet Nee-sama liked this the way I do…," her voice trailed off.

Rukia stared at the trees that stood allover the yard and then clapped her hands, "I don't believe it… I get it now!" she hastily ran off and ignored completely Byakuya that was staring at her with questioning eyes.

"What has gotten into her?" Byakuya looked towards the trees, "I can't find anything unusual there…," Byakuya the turned to see Rukia was talking animatedly with one of the resident's gardeners, "I guess I'll ask her later..."

* * *

"What-do-you-say?" Byakuya tried to control his raising voice. The two male guards that kneeled before him noticed the raise of his voice and lowered their heads that they nearly kissed the tatami floor as a result of increasing nervous.

"Byakuya-sama, Rukia-sama hasn't return yet. And no one knows where she might have gone to; even Kurosaki-sama and Abarai-sama don't have the slightest idea of it."

"Your job is to guard her everywhere she goes whenever she's off duty. There's only one of her and there is two of you…," Byakuya took a deep breath and exhaled it slowly as he tried to control his rising temper, "…_and-you-don't-know-where-she-has-gone-to_? What do both of you are doing actually that you don't know where she is since it's your job to follow her everywhere she goes to?" Byakuya said all the words with some difficulty to control the tone of his voice.

"Gomen nasai, Byakuya-sama!" now, the two guards were positively kissed the floor.

"I…," his voice trailed off when he suddenly heard a series of ringing bells, "…Now what?"

A male servant entered the room and kneeled, "It seems a gigantic blizzard is approaching and every residents of Soul Society are advised not to get out of their houses unless there's a major important task to do," the servant lowered his head once and then politely left the room.

Byakuya's breath became fast, his temperature was rising rapidly, "Do-you-hear-that?"

"H-hai, Byakuya-sama…," they replied in a very tiny voice.

"I-can't-hear-you."

"Hai, Byakuya-sama! Please forgive us! We're going to get out now to search for Rukia-sama and we'll make sure her safe return!"

"Safe-return?" Byakuya could hold no more of his temper and slammed the floor, "IF SHE'S SAFE, THAT'S GOOD! BUT WHAT IF THE BLIZZARD COME BEFORE YOU EVEN SET YOUR FOOT OUTSIDE? IT'S LATE NIGHT ALREADY AND A BLIZZARD IS APPROACHING HERE FAST! I JUST DON'T BELIEVE YOU LET HER WANDER ALONE WITHOUT EVEN ENSURING HER HAVING HER ZANPAKUTOU WITH HER! NOW WHAT WILL YOU DO IF THERE'S SOMETHING HAPPEN TO HER? ANSWER ME AT THIS ONCE!"

"Gomen nasai, Byakuya-sama!" both of them shivered from head to toe; making the head of the resident in rage would never mean a pleasant thing…especially when the fact that he rarely shows his temper. People said that a person that rarely shows its temper could be scarier than a devil itself when it's blazing in the flames of fury…

Byakuya breathed heavily and then he took a deep breath. He exhaled it slowly and before his temper rising again, he quickly dismissed the terrified guards. He then looked towards Sode no Shirayuki that sat silently beside his Senbonzakura. Beside them was a pair of pink sakura-shaped hairclips that he had bought as Rukia's Christmas present. He learnt about Christmas from the big-mouth Oomaeda Marechiyo last year ("And I give my sweetheart the biggest diamond ring…" "As big as your mouth?" "Yes, as big as my mouth-… Hey!") and for some really strange reasons, he did remember of Christmas's arrival and bought his sister a present.

Byakuya couldn't explained it but after the event of the failed Rukia's execution and the fight with Ichigo, he somehow grew some affections for his foster sister; his voice softened when he spoke to her and he would automatically became tender and gentle to her even if he was in a very foul mood just before. The only reason Byakuya could guess was he was somehow affected by Ichigo's protective-brother attitude to his siblings. He had seen how Ichigo would even attempt to do a suicide act just to make sure his sisters' safety and how Ichigo the hot-headed lad often to soften when his sisters around.

Byakuya sighed, he couldn't bear to imagine if something bad happened to Rukia; not just he would break his promise with his late wife but he would also had no reasons to live again – he was a bit surprised that he would even feel this way – as Rukia had become an important part of his life. He just couldn't bear it if he suddenly loses his sister, no way could he bear it…

Byakuya hastily grabbed his thick outer kimono robe and Senbonzakura and started to head for the resident entrance. One of Rukia's guards noticed him and carefully approached him, "Byakuya-sama, where are you going?"

"I might actually commit a suicide if I continue to wait for her here doing nothing. I'm going to find her myself…and none of you are allowed to leave the resident unless by my order," Byakuya quickly added the last sentence when the guards were about to argue. He then went out of the resident and looked around the empty dark street. He looked up; thick clouds were approaching fast and the weather got colder by each minute passed. He had to be fast.

Just when Byakuya was about to move a step, he saw the gardener whose Rukia was talking to during the day. He got the feeling that the gardener held the answer and hastily approached him, "Kakyu-san, I've seen Rukia was talking to you this late morning."

"H-hai, Byakuya-sama," the old gardener nodded politely, "Rukia-sama was asking me about flowers and their origins."

"What exactly did she ask?"

"She's asking about sakura and if there is a place where sakura would blooms all year around."

"And the place is?"

"It's a very far place from here…and a dangerous place too. It is beyond the 80th district in the South where wild forests grow and killer beasts lurk. But, in the middle of the chaos place, there is a vast lake which is as clear as the spring blue sky. The grasses around it are emerald green and it's surrounded by sakura trees that bloom throughout the year. This place is called as 'Sakura Tengoku' or in other words 'Heaven of Cherry Blossoms'."

"Sakura Tengoku…," Byakuya muttered, "Arigatou gozaimasu, Kakyu-san," and he hastily walked away. He looked up again; the ominous clouds were here and a cold gust began to blow. He had been left with little time. Using shunpo, he dashed towards the 80th district of the South.

After about half an hour, Byakuya reached the boundary that separated the 80th district of the South from the dangerous woods beyond it. He scanned the area; thick snow ground and bare trees were waiting. He kept still for a while to calm his fast-breathing rhythm and then he, again using shunpo, started to cross the cold forest. He managed to evade wild beasts' surprise attack and outrun them. He didn't bother to fight off any of the creatures as the only thing matter to him now was Rukia's safety.

Suddenly, a strong gust blew and snows fell and were flown by the overwhelming wind. Byakuya's vision range was reduced by the thick snow and the strong wind and he knew his time was running out fast. Now, with everything bit of energy he could muster from within him, he used the highest level in shunpo and dashed through the blazing snowstorm with the speed of more than a lightning. Then, he could saw something shone from a distant and instinctively knew the place even though he had never seen of it; it was the 'Sakura Tengoku', the 'Heaven of Cherry Blossoms'. And the cherry light that was radiated from there made certain of it. His concerns lessened a little.

Just when Byakuya was about to reach 'Sakura Tengoku' with the difference of a few meters, a desperate cry was heard over the howling wind, "TASUKETEEEE!"

Byakuya halted immediately and turned his around to a direction. His eyes widened with pure fear, "Rukia!" and he dashed towards the source of the cry. The cry led him to the edge of a really high cliff…and to a holding-onto-a-stuck-out-dead-branch-for-dear-life Rukia. His heart beats faster, not because of the tiredness caused by shunpo but from the fear of the current situation; Rukia was just a millimeter away from death.

"Nii-sama! How do you know-"

"Save the questions for later!" Byakuya held out his right hand, "Hold onto my hand and I'll pull you up!"

"H-hai," Rukia raised her left hand to reach for her foster brother's hand when suddenly…

CREEEAK…..SNAAP!

The branch where Rukia was holding snapped and without anything to hold on, she fell helplessly into the far dark bottom. Byakuya hastily unsheathed Senbonzakura and then leaped towards her. Rukia's eyes widened in shock, "Nii-sama!"

When Rukia was in his reach, Byakuya quickly took her into his arms and struck Senbonzakura into the cliff's rocky wall. It took a few minutes before the fall came to an absolute stop. With some skills and the strong grip of Senbonzakura onto the rocky wall, he managed to get his feet 'stood' onto the wall. He held her closer to him, "Hold me tight and don't ever let go."

"H-hai, Nii-sama," Rukia clung onto Byakuya's neck in response. She was thinking what her brother was going to do when she got another shock. He took out Senbonzakura out of the wall and then dashing vertically up the rocky cliff, carrying her in both of his arms. She knew her brother was capable of a lot of amazing things but running vertically up a cliff with the use of shunpo alone? Her brother had just proved to her he wasn't the Head of Four Noble Clans and one of the most feared and respected Taichou in Gotei 13 for nothing; he was more than qualified for them.

After a few frightening minutes, the Kuchiki siblings reached the top of the cliff…only to be welcomed by a raging blizzard. Rukia thought this was the end of their life when Byakuya placed her onto the snow ground and then, to her own confusion, he held out Senbonzakura, "Ban-kai."

Thousands of blades appeared from the ground which then scattered to millions pieces of lethal tiny petals-like blades. And with Byakuya's command, the blades surrounded both of them, creating a strong barrier against the blazing snowstorm. Rukia stared at him with disbelief, "Nii-sama…"

"Everything's going to be fine. I would not let anything to hurt you in any way, I would not," Byakuya said firmly. Rukia was certain his words were true; the strong determination and the hidden warmth in his always-cold eyes confirmed of it. And his words made her to hold the bag she was currently carrying behind her tighter.

* * *

"What-do-you-say?" Rukia asked her two guards with a disbelieving tone.

"It's true, Rukia-sama," they replied in unison. Rukia stared at them for a while before dismissing them. She shook her head.

"I don't believe it… Nii-sama covered all 80 districts of the South in just thirty minutes and then managed to find me right after I fell and after that ran vertically up the cliff and finally using Bankai until the blizzard lasted its fury… And he actually managed to carry me back here using shunpo. No wonder he immediately collapsed when we reached the resident entrance… I bet he has exhausted all his energy," Rukia stood up, "I don't believe that he'll do anything just to for my safety…"

Rukia took a small bundle from her bag and then started to head for Byakuya's bedroom and found her foster brother was still sleeping. She silently approached him and then sat beside him, placing the bundle next to her. She stared at the serene face of her brother and smiled unconsciously, "You're full of surprises, Byakuya-niisama...," and she reached for his left hand and held it close to her, "Arigatou, Nii-sama…," she closed her eyes and placed Byakuya's hand onto her right cheek.

All of a sudden, Byakuya's hand grabbed hers softly and made her opened her eyes. Byakuya was awake and was staring at her with tender eyes. He slowly sat up and stroked her hair, "Are you fine, Rukia?"

"Hai, Nii-sama. How about you?"

"I just need some rest. No need to concern about me though. Rukia, have you seen the sakura hairclips?"

"Hai, do you want me to bring it here?"

"Yes, if you please."

Rukia hastily stood up and left the room for a brief period of time. She then re-entered the room with the pair of sakura hairclips in her hands. She was about to hand them to Byakuya when he firmly placed them in her hands, "Rukia, the hairclips are yours."

"Eh?" Rukia asked confusedly.

"I know Christmas has lasted but I don't think it's too late to give you a present."

Rukia didn't know what she was supposed to be surprised of, the fact Byakuya did knew about Christmas or the fact he bought her a Christmas present. It was just…so not like Kuchiki Byakuya, her foster brother that she had known. Rukia stared at the hairclips bewildered. Then, now to Byakuya's puzzlement, she clipped her fore hair with the given hairclips and then smiled, "Arigatou, Nii-sama!"

"The hairclips do suit you very much," and then Byakuya remembered something, "Why did you go to the 'Sakura Tengoku'?"

"Ah! I nearly forgot," Rukia clapped her hands and gave the small bundle to him, "I need something from there and I found it. And it's for you, Nii-sama. It's your Christmas present from me."

Byakuya stared at the bundle in his hands and then at Rukia. She nodded slightly and slowly, Byakuya opened the wrapper. Then, he got a pleasant surprise; in his hands was a bouquet of sakura. He looked up to Rukia, "This is…"

"I know you love Hisana-neesama from the very bottom of your heart. The sakura trees that filled the yard are the evidence of it; Nee-sama liked sakura so much and for you, sakura always be the memento of Nee-sama. It would be impossible for me to bring her back to live but the least I could do is to relive the memories of you both. And I hope… Nii-sama?"

Tears filled Byakuya's eyes and he hugged his foster sister tight. He didn't say anything but, "Arigatou, Rukia… Arigatou…"

Rukia blinked her eyes in surprised – for the first time in her life, she saw Byakuya was crying – and then she smiled, returning her brother's hug, "Merry Christmas, Nii-sama…"

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**A/N:** My…that's long that I've expected… Sorry if I made Byakuya a bit OOC but for me, he's just a loving brother for Rukia… How much I wish to have a brother like him… Feel free to review.


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